Cigar packaging machine



H. H. WHEELER 2,983,091 C'IGA. PACKAGING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 9, 1961 Filed April 7, 1959 May 9, 1961 H. H. WHEELER CIGAR PACKAGING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aprgl fr. 1959 ON N INVENTOR ENRY H. WHEELER BY M6 May 9, 1961 H. HT WHEELER 01cm PACKAGING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 7, 1959 OWN R O T N E V m HENRY H. WHEELER ATTORN Y May 9, 1961 H. H. WHEELER 2,983,091

CIGAR PACKAGING MACHINE Filed April 7, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 96N 94\ F IG. 4 f 66) @Ay/f /Qf 702 28 l :iQ-

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gii@ f illlllllllilllllllwllllllllillllllll N. 96 lm/ //94 90! 86j B7 F|G.1O A\ F|G.11 /B `I l l y I i i 1 (my X f gw D D l I I i I Dj S INVENTOR HENRY H. WHEELER ATTORNEY May 9, 1961 H. H. WHEELER 2,983,091

CIGAR PACKAGING MACHINE Filed April '7, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Plas 350 lNvENToR HENRY H. WHEELER ATTORNEY machine shown in Figure 1. -Y Y United States Patent O 2,983,091 Y CIGAR PACKAGING MACHINE Henry H. Wheeler, Newton, Conn., assigner to International Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Apr. 7, 1959, Ser. No. 804,742

9 Claims. (Cl. 53-133) This invention relates to improvements in wrapping machines and more particularly to a packaging machine adapted to enclose articles; such as, cigars in a wrapping material envelope provided with a tear strip to facilitate opening.

Generally cigars are preferably wrapped in transparent wrapping material having a heat energizable coating. To facilitate opening of the envelope thus formed to provide access to the contents, it is desirable to provide a tear strip to be actuated by a user. The present invention is characterized by the utilization of a tear strip web which is of a width coextensive with that of the wrapper material web, and is provided with registering indicia preferably in the form of the regularly recurring cigar band patterns. Both the wrapper web and the tear strip web are fed intermittently along the same line of travel. When the tear strip web has been placed in proper registration with respect to the wrapper web as determined by a photoelectric device, the tear strip web feed is interrupted, and a narrow width of tear strip is severed from the tear strip web and secured preferably, by heatsealing, to the stationary wrapper web across the entire width thereof. A suitable length of wrapper web with the tear strip properly secured thereon is then delivered to the envelope forming portion of the packaging machine and severed from the web.

It is therefore an object of the present inventionto provide a packaging machine for enclosing cigars within a sealed envelope having a tear strip attached thereto to facilitate opening.

lt is a further object of the present invention to provide means for supplying a narrow tear strip for attachment to a wrapper material web from a wide band of tear strip web.

lt is also an object of this invention to provide a registration device for properly positioning a stear strip on a wrapping material web. l

Another object of this invention is to provide in a packaging machine for enclosing cigars within a sealed envelope a tear strip web and a wrapper material web intermittently fed along the same line of travel.

An added object of thepresent invention is to provide means for registering a printed band web with respect to a wrapper material web severing the leading end band from the band web and heat sealing it to the continuous wrapper web. f

Other objects and features of the invention will'appear as the description ofthe particular physical embodiment' selected to Villustrate the invention progresses. `In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisjspecitication, likezcharactes` 2of reference have beenapplied to.c0`rresponding parts throughout the several views which make up the drawings.

-Figure l is a side elevationof a wrapping machine l constructed in accordancewith the invention. Y

Figure 2 is a sectional'side elevation of the wrappingY Y Eiger@ 3 is a 'plan Viewl of the wrapping machine shes/n `Figure 4 is a sectional plan view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2. Y

Figure 5 is a sectional end elevation taken'on line 5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an end view of the article enveloping and folding mechanism.

Figure 7 is a detailed side elevation of a part of the web feeding mechanism.

Figure 8 is a sectional end elevation taken on line 8 8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional end elevation of the wrapper edge slitting mechanism. v

Figure 10 is a fragmentary View of a web from which the individual cigar bands or tear strips are cut, and

Figure 1l is a plan view of an individual cigar wrapper blank with an associated cigar band or tear strip.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, the machine is driven by a gear 20 (Figures 1 and 2) from a suitable source of power (not shown). Gear 20 is mounted on shaft 22 supported in suitable bearings of machine frame 24. The hub of gear 2G preferably is integral with gear 26 which meshes with and drives gear 28 (Figures 2.ancl 4) keyed to shaft 30 rotatably supported in suitable bearings in frame 24. Gear 28 meshes with and drives gear 32 (Figures l and 4) secured to cam shaft 34 rotatabiy supported in bearings in frame 24. Pulley 36 (Figure l) mounted on shaft 34 is tracked by belt 38 which runs on and drives pulley 40 (Figures l and 3) fixed to shaft 42 supported in suitable bearings in a pair of brackets 44 secured to bed plate 46 adjustably mounted on frame 24. A lower web feed roller 48 (Figure 2) mounted on shaft 42 operates in conjunction with an upper web feed roller Sil mounted on shaft 52. This shaft carries gear 54 which meshes with and is driven by a gear 56 secured to lower feed roller drive shaft 42. Upper feed roller shaft 52 is supported in suitable bearing blocks 53 slidably mounted in vertical slots 60 in brackets 44.

The cigar wrapping material; such for example as heat scalable cellophane, is pulled by feed rollers 4S and 50 from a reel (not shown) in form of a web W over the top surface of bed plate 46 where it is guided lengthwise thereacross and over aVramp-like bridge bracket 62 (Fig.V 2). The leading end of the web is engaged by a pair of reciprocating gripper fingers generally designated 64 mounted on a pair of parallel spaced horizontally reciprocating rods 66. Rods 66 at their forward ends are secured to a transverse activating bar 68 while the central and rear portion of rods 66 are slidably supported in suitable bearings of the bed plate 46 and in bearing lugs 76 of a bracket 72 respectively. Bracket 72 is mounted on frame 24 of the machine. Transverse bar 68 is provided with an eiongated slot or track 74l (Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5) in which is mounted a roller on a'crankpinSScarriedby bevel gear 90. -Bevel'gearV is rotatably Vsupported by a hubbearing 92 held by bracket 94 (Figs. A2 Vand, 4') secured to the lowerrface.

of Ygear plate 96. Gear plate Y96, in turn .ismounted to theibottomesidefof bed plate 46'. Plate 96 hasaV cir;v cular opening which is` provided with gear teethf98 thus forming a stationary, internally. ltoothed gear which ,en-l Y gages with the spur gear S6 carried by the crankpin 88 off bevel gear 90. ABevel gear 98 engages ,with andis continuously driven byv-a bevel gear 100 keyed t0, thef '.continuouslyrotating shaft 30. Thus, since gear V861er;

crank `pin* 88 meshes with teeth.' 98 of. the stationary gear plate 96, gear'86 rotates'about crank pin 88 whenI pin'88 'is rotated by Abevel gear90. Thepitchl diameter.

2,983,091V i .Y

and 'circumference of the gear 86 in relation to the stationary ring gear teeth 98 is such that during each onehalf revolution of bevel gear 90, gear 86 and bar 80 will rotate 180. Since the roller 76 carried by bar 80 is mounted in the track 74 in'transverse barA 68, 'the' first 1,80? turn of gear 86 and bar 80 effects a'hrizontal and longitudinal forward movement of the transverse bar 6,8. The ends of bar 68, therefore, slidingly engage and are guided by the inner side edges 102-of the bed plate 46. The second 180 turn of gear 86 and bar 80 moves the transverse bar 68 back Yto its. originalV starting position.. Since transverse bar 68k-.connected to horizontal rods 66, rods 66 will likewise'fhave horizontal reciprocating motion imparted thereto.

` Each horizontal rod 66 carries. a pairof. gripper iingers 64 consisting of an upper jaw Y104 secured to rod 66 and a lowerrjaw 106 loosely mounted onV rod 66. I aw V106`is engaged by one end of a torsion spring Y108 the` other end of which is anchored to'a suitable collar 110 secured to the rod 66. The torsion spring l1108 is employed for the purpose of urging lower jaw 106 into closed position against the upperjaw 104.

The opening of jaws 104 and 106fis effected` by means of a jaw activating pin 1'12 (FiguresY 7 and 8). Pin 112 is slidably supported and carried in a horizontal hole orbore 114 of a lug v1176 integral with and extendingifrom the hub of the lower jaw 106. Pin 1'1-2 is provided with a conical step 118 (Figure 8) and an extension 120`which is ofa lesser diameter than the pin 11.2. Integral with and extending from the hub of the upper jaw l104 is a lug 122 which is provided with a hole orbore 124 which is of the same diameter as the bore sponds to that of the conical step 118 of pin 112.

As illustrated in the drawings, Figures 7 and 8, lug 116 of jaw 106 is in sliding engagement with lugr122 of jaw 104.y However, the holes 114 and 124 of theY respective lugs are off-set to each other such that pin 112,

. pushed from the rear or from the left as viewed in Figure 8, would by means of its conical step 118 slide onto the tapered portion 126 andV then into the hole 124 of the lug 122 of stationary jaw 104. Since jaw 106 is loosely mounted on rod 66 and hole i124 in the lug of stationary jaw1'104is slightly higher than entry of Vthe pin 112 into hole 124 causes a vertical displacement or lifting of lug 116`of the swingable jaw 106. This, in turn, effects a downward movementand a disengagement of jaw 10.6.fromthe stationary jaw 104, against the action of spring 108, Vthus opening jaws 104 and 106.

The 'extension 120 of pin 112, of course, now projects beyondelug 122 and pressure applied against the end of extensionV 120 would cause pin 112 to slide out of the hole 124 of lug 122 of theV stationary jaw 104. When this' occurs, the 'torsion spring 108V acting upon the pivoted jaw 106 returns jaw y106-into engagement with stationary.

jaw 104. This returnof jaw 106 causes a downward movement of lug 71,16,` lbringing the hole `114 of lug 116 again out of alignment with hole 124 of lug 122 as illustrated in Figure 8.

Y `The movement of pins 112jwithin therlugs 116 andV 122 is accomplished in Vthe following manner. -Each pairofjaws 64 is carried by -a horizontal rod 66. l Both rods 66, Vthrough the action of `transverse *barV 68, are reciprocated kin the manner described herein above. Each of thelbearing lugs 7.0 hold ,ani adjustable pin activatingV screwg128'"('l-"iL'gruresVv liand 3) projecting horizontally;v frin'rits, associated lugz70 and into-the path of vthefpin 1:1'2carried'lbygthe*respective lu`g116.l l-Duringthe fior.-k

' wardlmovement ,of rods .66,zgripper lingers .'64 arein closedposition andfpin 112Jprojects`fromlthe lug 116' `of its respective jaw 106 as illustrated in Figure 8. When rod`s66 almostireaclithend Yof their forward stroke,' f the Yprotruding end Aof" each .ping A111i. engaged.V by oneKA of the screws 128. As gripper fingers 64 and rods 66 are still moved forward a short distance, screw 128 forces each pin 112 into hole 124 of lug 122, thereby effecting a downward movement of jaw 106 and opening of the gripper fingers 64.

Upon the return stroke of rods 66, gripper fingers 64 remain open with the extension 120 of each pin 112 projecting from the hole 124 of eachrespective lug 122. Shortly before the completion of thereturn stroke of -rods 66, the projecting extensiorrlZO of pins 112, con# tact the end facev of bed plate 46.V` As rods;V 66 and'iugers 64 continue to move the distance necessary to complete the return stroke, pins 1112 are pushed by plate 46 out of holes 124 Vof lugs {122,'7thereby effecting a closing of the gripper lingers 64.

The reciprocating gripper lingers 64 are employed to pull the leading end of the cigar wrapping material web W into the path of travel of .a cigar Cinto a pocket P of Ya' turret T .of a cigar wrapping machine of type; for example, as shown and described in my Patent No. 1,899,- 174. Since the pulling of therweb W by gripper'fingers 64 is intermittent and the feeding of web W from the reel by feed rollers 48 .and 50 is continuous, a loop L ofiwebl isformed (Figure 2). However, the web which forms a loop L provides Vthe amount of web engaged byV gripper fingers 64, the leading end of this web being positioned overY the pocket P of the wrapping machine turret. 'The leading end of theipwrapper web W is engaged and gripped bythe gripper fingers 64 when rods 66 approach the end face of bed plate 46. .Upon the return stroke of'rods 66 fingers 64 operate Ato pull the web over the pocket P of the `wrapping machine turret.

-When, at the end of the 'return stroke, pins 112 of the Vwas pulled over the pocket by the gripper fingers 64 is severed from the rest of said web and a descending plunger plate 130 pushes a cigar and the cut length of wrapper web into the waiting pocket P lof the wrapping machine turret. n Y Y Y Y The cutting of the web W is accomplished by the coordinated vertical movements of a V-shaped cutter plate 132and a V-shaped ledger plate 134 (Figure 2). The ledger plate 134 is slidably conned in a track (not shown) formed in two spaced upright lugs 136,wl1ich project from and are preferably integral with the bed plate 46.` VThe lower portion ofV ledger plate 134 is provided withY a horizontal V-shaped cut-out l1.38. The upl. sliding engagement With the ledgerplate 1341 held yieldinglyagainst the front face of plate 134 by` means of a tension spring 144. Spring 144 is positioned about stud 142 and confined between ia nut 146 mounted on stud 142 and a washer 148 which bridges slot 140 and is in yielding contact with the rearfaceof ledger plate 134.` Lugs andy 152 respectivelyA are securedY to theupper ends of cutter vplate 132 and ledger platey 134, respectively.. Lug. 150 is connected by'means of a line 154 to a rocker arm 156 mounted on an oscillating- ,shaft ,158`supp'ortcd`in suitable bearings in thefupright lugs 136. To shaft y1'5f8kisl secured an. arm 160. which bymea'nsofra llink 162 (Figures 1,3"and :6)'1is connected to anY arm 164looselyrmonted on and supported by av Y stud 166 i held rby :and Vprojecting Y"fi-omi aflvertical flange end, a camroller170 (Figures l and 4) mounted in of vthep'gea'r plate 96. jflntegr'al with the hub. of arm 164 is a cam lever 168 (Figure l), carryinggfat its `free i track 172 of `a ,camf174 secured'to Athe"ccrmtinuously driven cam shaft 34. e w I: Y., Y.

Y Y Integral withthehubofrockpr 156butextending in the opposite direction is'a short arxvn`176 (Figures 1, 2 and 3), the free end of which is connected by means of a link 178 to lug 152 on ledger plate 134. The free end of rocker arm 156 is provided with an open slot 180 in which is freely mounted the shank of a suitable stud 182. Stud 182 is mounted on and projects from the upper end of a vertical plunger rod 184 which is slidably mounted in a vertical guide track 186 of bracket 188 extending from and secured to the upright lugs 136. To the lower end of plunger rod 184 is secured the plunger plate 130.

In operation the rotation of drum cam 174, through cam lever 168, arm 164, link 162, arm 160 and shaft 158, effects an upward and downward motion of rocker arm 156. Since arm 176 is integral with rocker arm 156, a downward motion of the arm 156 causes an upward motion of arm 176. Further since cutter plate 13 2 is connected by means of link 154 to rocker arm 156 and ledger plate 134 is connected by means of link 178 to arm 176, a downward motion or rocker arm 156 causes a downward motion of cutter plate 132 and an upward motion of the ledger plate 134, thereby cutting the wrapping material web W positioned therebetween.

SimultaneouslyV with the cutting of the wrapper web W, plunger plate 130, carried by the lower end of plunger 184, engages a cigar which has been fed into the path of plunger plate 130. Plate 130, upon continued downward motion of rocker arm 156, presses the engaged cigar and the cut wrapper blank A into the pocket P of the wrapping machine turret T.

In order to provide each wrapper blank with a combined cigar band and tear strip before being cut from the web W a wide tear strip band web S having a heat energizable thermoplastic coating and provided with regularly recurring printed patterns D thereon, is fed intermittently to a position where a predetermined narrow strip B is cut therefrom, and heat sealed to the wrapper web W passing beneath (Figure 2). Web S preferably is substantially the same width as wrapper web W. It may be wider, however, if it is desired to provide a composite cigar band-package opening tear strip which extends beyond the longitudinal sealed edge of the package.

The tear strip band web S is pulled intermittently from a suitable reel (not shown) by means of intermittently rotating upper and lower'feed rollers 190 and 192 respectively. The upper feed roller 190 is mounted on a shaft 194 supported by a pair of spring loaded bearing blocks 196 (Figure l). Blocks 196 are slidably confined in Suitable slots in a pair of bearing brackets 198 adjustably mounted to the topside of bedplate 46. The lower feed roller 192 is secured to a shaft 200 rotatably supported in suitable bearings in bracket 198. Shaft 194 of the upper feed roller 190 and shaft 200Y of the lower feed roller 192 are connected to each other by means of a pair of gears 202 (Figure 3). Further, shaft 200 rotatably supports a gear 204 (Figure l), the hub of which is provided with a flange 206 (Figure 3) which normally engages with a friction ring 208. Ring 208' is secured to a flange 210 of a reel-shaped feed control member 212, slidably keyed in the end portion of shaft 200. The end of shaft 200 is provided with a head 214Y and a tension spring 216 encircling shaft 210 and confined between head 214 and a stepped bore 218 in the hub of member 212. Spring 216 thus keeps the ange 210 of member 212 in engagement with the'ange 206 of the gear 204. Gear 204 is engaged and oscillated by a horizontal gear rack-220 (Figure l). Rack 220, at one end, is pivotall'y connected to the free end of a cam lever 222. Cam lever 222 isV loosely mounted on a stud shaft 224 adjustably secured to a bracket 226 mounted on frame '24. Cam lever 2,22 carriesa cam roller 228 (Figures l and 4) which is mounted in afcam track 230 of a drum cram 232 mounted on cam shaft 34. The gear rack220 is slidably supported inV a. slot-of housing 234, the `,upper portion of which also serves las a `cover for the gear 204. Housing 234. is secured to a suitable lug extending from one of the bearing brackets 198.

To control the intermittent feeding of the tear strip band web S there is provided a photoelectric registering device E which consists of a photo electric cell 236 (Figure 2) mounted in a slotted housing 238. Housing 23S is adjustably secured above the path of travel of web S, on an upright lug 240 extending from one side of the bridge bracket 62. A source of light 242, suitably designed to work with the photo electric cell 236, is located in a recess 244 in bridge bracket 62 beneath the path of web S and in vertical line With the photo-electric cell 236. Photo-electric cell 236 is connected to a conventional ampliiier and control circuit 246 (Figure 3) which operates a relay 248. Relay 248, in turn, is connected to an electro-magnet 250 secured to a plate 252 and adjacent a circular flange 254 of the reel shaped feed control member 212. The magnet-supporting plate 252 is supported by a pair of horizontal rods 256 held by and extending from a suitable lug Vof one of the bearing brackets 198.

The feeding of the tear strip band web S is accomplished when the gear rack 220 is moved by means of cam lever 222 to the right as viewed in Figure l, causing a counter-clockwise rotation of gear 204. Since flange 206 of gear 204 is in contact with the ange 210 of the control member 212, member 212, being slidably keyed to the shaft 200, effects rotation of shaft 200. This consequently rotates the lower feed roller 192 which is mounted on shaft 200. Since the lower feed roller shaft 200 is connected to the upper feed roller shaft 194, both feed rollers 200 and 194 are rotated, feeding tear strip band web S.

Proper registration is accomplished when predetermined spot or indicium X on the cigar band pattern D passes beneath the photoelectric cell 236. When this occurs, cell 236 effects an energization through the ampliiier circuit 246 of the relay 248 closing contacts 258 thereof. This in turn completes a circuitV energizing electro-magnet 250. Magnet 250 now magnetically attracts the ange 254 of the feed control member 212, causing member212 to move along shaft 200 until its iiange 254 is engaged by magnet 250. Flange 210 is thus disengaged from flange 206 of oscillating gear 204. Since gear 204 is the driving source of feed rollers 192 and 190, the feed of strip band web S is interrupted, even though gear 204 may still continue to be rotatedY by gear rack 220.

As soon as the band pattern D is `thus properly registered and the feed of web S interrupted, a descending Fil-shaped knife blade 260 cuts a narrow strip B from the registered leading end of web S. As strip B is cut, a pair of spaced heated fingers 262 push strip B downwardly onto the then stationary wrapper material web W. Fingers 262 energize the thermoplastic coating of strip B andheat-seal strip B to web W, while simultaneously the leading end of web W is engaged by the gripper fingers '64.

The knife blade 260 operates in conjunction with a pair of guide plates 264 (Figure 2) which act as guide and ledger plates. The upper portionof knife blade 260 is secured to a pair of studs 266 which are pivotally supported by a pair of arms 268. Arms 268 are mounted on horizontal shaft 270 rotatably lsupported suitably in bearing brackets 198. Gne of the knife blades supporting studs 266 is pivotably connected by means of a link 272 to the free end of an arm 274. An arm 274 in turn is secured to an oscillating horizontal shaft 276 krotatably supported in' bearing lugs 278 (Figmres l, 2 and 3). one end of shaft 276 issecured an actuating leverf280 whose free end is connected to the cam lever 168` by means of an adjustable link 282 (Figure l). The cam lever 168, through link 282 and arm 280, imparts oscillating motion to the shaft 274 which, in turn, effects vertical up and down cutting motion to knifeblade 260.

To shaft 276 are also secured the heated iingers 262 which, are actuatedsynchronously with the movement of the Aknifeblade'260. A central hub 284 Vwhich connects fingers 2762 carries a suitable heating element 286 employed to` supply the proper heat to iingers 262.

After the tear strip band B is cut from the web S and heat sealed in twoV spotsl onto the wrapping material web W, the leading end of web W is pulled by means of the reciprocating gripper fingersV 64 across a pocket P of the wrapping machine turret T as described heretofore, and a predetermined length is Ycut therefrom which represents the wrapper blank A shown in Figure 1'1.` While web W is pulled over pocket P, a row of Vcigars to be wrapped is advanced on a slotted supporting table 288," (Figures 3 and 6) by means of Ytwo pairs of oscillating walking beams 290: The cigars are advanced in such a manner thatY the leading cigar C'is slightlypressed lengthwise against a stop and aligning plate 292, holding cigar C in the path of the plunger plate 130. Plate 130 as it travels downwardly with the web cutter plate I132 as describedheretofore contacts the top side of cigar C as wrapper blank A is cutY from the leading end of the wrapper material web W. The continued downward travel of plunger plate 130 then presses cigar C and the wrapperblank A which has been fed therebeneath into pocket P of the wrapping machine turret T.

The oscillating walking beams 290, are properly timed with the other mechanisms of the machine such that the rows of cigars on the table 288rare laterally advanced by beams 290 a distance equal to the width of a cigar. The stop and aligning plate 292 is suspended from and suitably secured to the bracket 188. The pocket P of the wrapping machine turret T may be substantially of the same construction and design as shown and described in my Patent 1,899,174. The bottom wall of the turret pocket P is formed by a plunger 294 yieldingly supported by a suitable spring 296 which is provided for the purpose of normally urging plunger 294 into its outermost radial position when not held down by a cigar inserted in pocket P.

' The side walls of each pocket P are formed of a stationary jaw 298 and a movable jaw 300 (Figures 6 and` 9). Whilethe stationary jaw 298 is an integral part of the turret body 302, the movable jaw 300 is carried by the free ends of a pair of arms 394pivotally mounted on aY stud 306 (Figures 2 and 6) mounted on the turret body 302. One ofthe arms 304 is integral with a cam lug 308 which, at itsfree end, carries a cam roller 310 which contacts Va cam 312`loosely mounted on shaft 30. Cam, 312 'receives rocking motion from a cam arm 314 (Figure 6) integral 'with and projecting from the hub of cam`312 andcarrying Vat itsfree end a cam roller 316 which engages la cam track 318 of a cam 320 mounted on a shaft 322 supported in a suitable bearing of frame 24. Shaft 322 is driven by means of a gear 324 mounted thereon vand meshing with a'gear326 (Figure 3) keyed to the shaft 30. Cam 312 is rocked through cam track 318 and arm 314 for the purpose of'effecting a quick closing of the jaw 300 after a cigar C and wrapper blank A have been inserted in the pocketrby plunger plate '130,' as described hereinabove.Y n

rvTo assure continuous Contact of the cam roller 310 With cam 312, each pair of arms 304 is provided with a Vtension spring 315 (Figure 6). After thewrapper blank A andcigarC are pushed in a .pocket P, the wrapper blank A covers three sides of the` cigar, namely,rthe two sides and the bottom thereof, thus forming a-U-shaped envelope with the two side flaps of wrapper blank A projecting straight up and out 'of pocket P. f The ii'rst side flap Vis folded over the top Vside of the cigar by means of an oscillating and suitably curved folder plate 32SV` (Figures3, '6 and 9) asillustrated in Figure 9. Folder! platej328 is secured to the free end of an arm 330which is' loosely monntedongshaft 30. 'Integral with armf330 and projecting therefromi'is' a cam lever 332 which 'carries a cam roller 334 running in a suitable track 336 (Figures 1-and'6) in cam 320.V Y To the 4top'of the folder plate' 328, coinciding with the location of thegt'ear strip band B on the wrapper blank A, is secured a knife blade 338v whichy is provided with two spaced `knife points 340 (Figures 3 and 9) which project from a suitable step in the leading edge of folder plate 328. YPoints 340 are aligned with a pair of suitable slots in a ledger plate 342 mounted on top and towards the forward edge of a stationary semi-circular folder and retainer plate 344. Plate'344 encircles the wrapper turret T for approximately 180,

Starting from the inserting station in a counter-clockwise direction, as illustrated in Figures 6 and 9. Y' v vAs mentioned above, after a cigar C and wrapper blank A areV inserted in pocket-P,` the top folder plate 328 swings in a counter-clockwise direction and elccts a folding of one of the upstanding'side aps Yofthe wrapper blank over the top side ofthe cigar. The two spaced knife points 340, coactingwith the two slots in the stationary ledger plate 342, pierce the other sideap of the wrapper blank which at this time is held upright by the top forward end of the circular stationary folder and retainer plate 344 as illustrated in Figure 9.

As the turret T is indexed and the cigar carrying pocket P is vadvanced tothe next station, the upstanding side ap of the wrapper blank is folded onto the already folded flap by the stationary folder and retainer plate 344. At the same time, the edges ofthe side ap are slotted by the knife points 340 as the ap is dragged down over the front edge of plate 344 due to the movement of the turret.

The wrapping machine turret T, has a plurality of pockets P and is constructed and driven intermittenly in substantially the same manner as illustrated in my Patent 1,899,174. Adjacent turret T are suitably mounted end folding and sealing devices (not shown) arranged at differentY stations to effect a complete envelopment of the cigars. Since the top fold is slotted adjacent the tear strip band B as described heretofore, an easy removal of the wrapper material is assured by simply pulling at its `slotted edge. n

I claim: Y Y K l. In apparatus for supplying individual wrappers to a packaging machine, each of saidV wrappers having a tear tape applied thereto, the combination of an elon- .gated bed, means for continuously feeding a continuous wrapper web to' one end of said bed, driven gripper means mounted adjacent to the other end of said bed for intermittently feeding said wrapper web across said bed through a tear tape applying station and a cutting station, means for feeding a continuous tear tape web to said tear tape applying station along substantially the same line of travel as said wrapper web and in overlying relationship therewith, said tear tape web having substantially the same width as said wrapper web, cutting means mounted in said tear tape applying station for severing a band of tear tape from the leading edge of said tear tape web, means for adhering said band transversely on said lwrapper web and substantially Vco-extensive with the width thereof, and cutting means disposed in said cutting station for severing from the leading edge of said wrapper web an individual wrapper'having a band of tear tape applied thereto, said gripper means being operative to deliver said individual wrapper to the packaging machine.

V2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said gripper means includes a VpairV of gripper members, said gripper means being reciprocable wherebysaidgripper members engage the leading edge of said wrapper web for pulling said web across said bed,'said cutting means in said cutting station being 4operative Vto sever `said wrapper web after a predetermined length of `said wrapper web passesthrough saidpcutting station.V

f3. The4 invention asY definedV in claim'l wherein Vsaid tear tapevvebrisjproy-ded. with regularly recurring spaced patternsgregisteringindiciumrfor'each of said patterns, a

7 Bfphotoeelectric :device Vforcletecting said registering indicia; V

9 means operative in response to said photo-electric device detecting a registering indicium to interrupt the feed of said tear tape web whereby each band is provided with a complete pattern disposed in pre-determined position on said wrapper web.

4. Mechanism for supplying individual wrappers to a cigar packaging machine, said wrappers having a band of tear tape applied thereto, comprising a source of supply of continuous thermoplastic wrapper web, a pair of gripper fingers for engaging the leading edge of said wrapper web at a web-engaging station, means mounting said gripper lingers for movement into and out of gripping engagement with said leading edge of said Wrapper web and to and from said web-engaging station, means for moving said gripper lingers, a source of supply of continuous tear tape web, provided with a heat-energizable thermoplastic coating, said teartape web having regularly recurring printed patterns thereon, a registering indicium for each of said patterns, a pair of intermittently driven feeding rollers for intermittently feeding said tear tape web, said tear tape web being fed along the same line of travel and in overlying relationship withY said wrapper web, a photo-electric detecting device for detecting the feeding of said registering indicia to a pre-determined position on their path of travel, an electro-magnet, an'

operating circuit connecting said photo-electric device to said electro-magnet for selectively energizing said electromagnet when a registering indicium has been fed to said predetermined position, means operatively associating said electro-magnet with said tear tape feeding rollers whereby said energized electro-magnet is operative to interrupt the feeding of said tear tape web, a knife, means mounting said knife for severing a short length from the leading edge of said tear tape web after said tear tape web feed has been interrupted, said severed short length of tear tape having a complete pattern disposed thereon, spaced heater lingers, means mounting said heater lingers for engagement with said short length of severed tape, said heater linger being operative to heat seal said severed tape onto the upper surface of said continuous wrapper web, said tear tape being located inVpre-determined position on said Wrapper web and substantially co-extensive with the width thereof, said gripper lingers being adapted to engage the leading edge of said wrapper web with a tear tape applied thereto and deliver a pre-determined length of wrapper web to a wrapping station remote from said web-engaging station, means for severing said pre-determined length from said wrapper web, and means for delivering said severed wrapper to the cigar packaging machine.

5. In apparatus for wrapping cigars in individual wrappers having a tear tape applied thereto, the combination of a source of supply of continuous thermoplastic wrapper web, a pair of gripper lingers for engaging the leading edge of said wrapper web at a web-engaging station, means mounting said gripper lingers for movement into and out of gripping engagement with said leading edge Vof said wrapper web and to and from said web-engaging station, means for moving said gripper ngers, a source of supply of continuous tear tapeweb, provided with a heat-energizable thermoplastic coating,

said tear tape web having regularly recurring printed patv terns thereon, a registering indicium for each of said patterns, a pair of intermittently driven feeding rollers for intermittently feeding said tear tape web, said tear tape web being -fed along the same line of travel and in overlying relationship with said wrapper web, a photo-electric detecting device for detecting the feeding of said registering indicia to a predetermined position on their path of travel, an electro-magnet, an operating circuit connecting said photo-electric device tosaid electro-magnet for selectively energizing said electro-magnet when a registering indicium has been fed to said predetermined position, means op-V eratively associating said electro-magnet with `said tear tape feeding rollers whereby'said energized electro-magnet'V is operative to interrupt the feeding of said tear tape web, a knife, means mounting said lrnife for severing a short length from the leading edge of said tear tape web after said tear tape web feed has been interrupted, said severed short length of tear tape having a complete pattern disposed thereon, spaced heater lingers, means mounting said heater lingers for engagement with said short length of severed tape, said heaternger being operative to heat seal said severed tape onto the upper surface of said continuous wrapper Web, said tear tape being located in predetermined position on said Wrapper web and substantially co-extensive with the Width thereof, said gripper ngers being adapted to engage the leading edge of said wrapper web with a tear tape applied thereto and deliver a predetermined length of wrapper web to a wrapping station remote from said web-engaging station, means for severing said predetermined length from said wrapper web, said severed wrapper being located in a selected position at said wrapping station, a source of supply of cigars, means for feeding said cigars serially to said wrapping station, said cigar feeding means being adapted to position a cigar in overlying relationship with said severed wrapper, the major axis of said cigar substantially coinciding with the major axis of said severed wrapper, a wrapping turret having a plurality of pockets and adapted to be moved stepwise through a plurality of operating stations, a plunger, means mounting said plunger, for movement against a cigar positioned on a severed wrapper, means for operating said plunger to move a cigar and wrapper into a pocket of said wrapping turret indexed to said wrapping station, the marginal edges of said severed wrapper being folded into overlying relationship with each other as a lilled pocket is indexed away from said wrapping station to envelope said cigar in said pocket, and means for weakening a wrapper adjacent to its associated tear tape as a wrapper and cigar in a pocket are indexed away from said wrapping station to facilitate unwrapping of said cigar by the user.

6. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein each` pair of said gripper lingers includes a stationary nger and a movable linger, a stud mounting said lingers in common adjacent the non-gripping ends thereof, each of said lingers having an aperture in its non-gripping end, said aperture in said movable linger being offset relative to said aperture in said stationary linger, resilient means normally urging said lingers into closed position, an elongated member provided with cam surfaces adjacent the mid-point thereof, means slidably mounting said member in said apertures, means for selectively sliding said elongated member in said apertures in one direction at said wrapping station, said cam surfaces being adapted to align said olfset apertures to urge said gripper ngers into open position at said wrapping station and means for sliding said elongated member in the opposite direction at said web-engaging station, said resilient means being operative at said web-engaging station to close said ngers urged into open position at said wrapping station whereby said gripper lingers are moved out of and into engagement with the leading edge of said Wrapper web.

7. The invention as defined in claim 4 including a pair of spaced operating rods, means mounting one of said pairs of gripper lingers on one of said operating rods, means mounting said spaced operating rods for reciprocating movement to and from said Web-engaging station to and from said wrapping station, means for reciprocating said spaced rods comprising an activating bar, means operatively associating said activating bar with said spacedoperating rods at one end of said spaced rods, a stationary circular gear, a travelling gear meshing with and travelling along said stationary gear, means for moving said travel gear along saidv circular gear and means connecting said travellingrgear to said activating bar -whereby said bar is'travelled lirst in one direction as saidtravelling gear is moved along one half of said Y 8L The invention as deined in claim 5 wherein said weakening means includes spaced cutting devices, means mounting said cutting devices for movementperipherally of said turret at said wrapping station against a marginal edge of a wrapper partially enveloping a cigar inserted into a pocket at said Wrapping station, means for moving said cutting devices in timed relationship with the movement of said pocket away from said wrapping station whereby said cutting devices are operative to pierce said wrapper as said marginal edges thereof are folded into overlying relationship. v

9. In apparatus for packaging elongated articles in individual wrappers having atear tape applied thereto, the combination of a source of supply of continuous wrapper web, means for intermittently feeding said wrapper web, a source of supply of continuous tear tape web, said tear tape web being of substantially the same width as said wrapper web, means for feeding said tear tape web intermittently in timed relationship with the feeding of said wrapper web, said tear tape web being fed along the same line of travel as said wrapper web and in over-r lying relationship therewith, means for severing a short length from the leading edge of said tear tape web, means for adhering said short length transversely on said wrap-V per web and substantially co-extensive with the width thereof, said wrapper web lfeeding means being adapted to feed a predetermined length of wrapper web with a tear tape thereon, means for severing said predetermined length from the leading edge of said wrapper web, means forvsupplying an Yindividual article to said severed wrapper, means for folding the marginsV of said severed wrapper into overlying relationship with each other to envelope said article delivered thereto, and means for weakening said folded wrapper adjacent to its associated tear tape to facilitate unwrapping of said article by a user, said weakening means including spaced cutting devices, means mounting said cutting devices for movement against a marginaledge of a severed wrapper partialiy enveloping an article, Aand means for moving said cutting devices in timed relationship with said folding means whereby Vsaid cutting devices arey operative to pierce said severed wrapper vas the margins thereof are folded into overlying relationship to envelope said article.

References Cited in the tile of this patent Y kUNITED STATES PATENTS i 2,130,729k Bums sept, 2o, 193s 2,683,401 Smith ---a July 13, 1954 2,729,042 BIOOk Ian. 3, 1956 2,758,517 Brightwell Aug. 14, 1956 

